Whether or not this is really a bridge year remains to be seen. But one reason it’s exciting to watch this year’s team doing more with less is because next year’s team won’t be working under the same talent constraints. Imagining Siva and Jennings and Dieng out there plus next year’s Top 5 recruiting class, well, let’s just say it’s not easy to keep one’s pants on one’s hind parts. While I would advocate living in the moment and staying excited about what this team is doing, what’s just a little more exciting is what the future has in store for these guys. As far as they go in the tournament this year, I can see them going three or four rounds farther next year (Hello, Banner #3).

So my question is about scholarships. The limit is 13, and with Preston! moving on to greener pastures, that will give us 16 scholarship players next year (thanks, JR). I know that a lot of this has yet to be worked out, but I’m raising the issue mainly because I want to know if anybody knows anything I don’t. To be clear, I love this team, and I like all these guys, so the prospect of any of them having a scholly pulled or being asked to transfer is disconcerting. That may be the way D-1 basketball works, but it shouldn’t be.

The question is this: which of these guys won’t be around next year (or won’t be on scholarship)?

Peyton Siva                                    Elisha Justice                                    Russ Smith

Wayne Blackshear                         Mike Marra                                       Rakeem Buckles

Jared Swopshire                             Kyle Kuric                                        Angel Nunez

Chane Behanan                              George Goode                          Stephan Van Treese                     

Gorgui Dieng                                 Terrence Jennings                             Tony Woods                         Zach Price